Job 38:15
in Job 38Light is withheld from the wicked, and their upraised arm is broken.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
And from the wicked their light is withholden, And the high arm is broken.
KJV
And from the wicked their light is withholden, and the high arm shall be broken.
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This verse in Job 38
Commentary
10 notes on this verseA commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
And from the wicked their light is withholden - While the light thus spreads over the earth, rendering every object beautiful and blessing the righteous, light and prosperity are withheld from the wicked; see the notes at Job 24:17. Or, the meaning may be, that when the light shines upon the world, the wicked, accustomed to perform their deeds in the night, flee from it, and retreat to their dark hiding-places. And the high arm - Of the wicked. The arm is a symbol of strength.
This site's exposition
have you commanded the morning
on Job 38:12-15
“In your days, have you commanded the morning” asks whether Job has set one day in motion. “The earth takes shape like clay under a seal” pictures the dawn stamping the world each day. Delitzsch reads “Light is withheld from the wicked” as the revealing daylight exposing what darkness covered.
This site's exposition
their upraised arm is broken
Jamieson, Fausset and Brown turn the line around. The light of the wicked is darkness, their working day as at Job 24:17, and the dawn puts it out. Albert Barnes also allows a second sense, that prosperity is held back from the wicked while the light blesses the righteous.
The record, by era
The Medieval Church2 voices
But on the contrary sometimes men die either buried by the earth or even crushed by walls falling in an earthquake, and so he says, "their light will be withheld from the wicked," by death. Sometimes fortifications and very strong towers are cast down by …
A commentator
Gregory the DialogistMorals on the Book of Job, Book XXIX · Written before 604.
proposed
From the wicked their light shall be taken away, and the high arm shall be broken. [ALLEGORICAL INTERPRETATION] Because, while they refuse to believe the truth, they lose for ever the knowledge of the Law, and while they boast of having received the Law, they are, doubtless, blinded by boasting of their knowledge. For it is written, Let their eyes be darkened that they see not. And again it is written, Blind the hearts of this people, and make their ears heavy.
The Puritans and the Awakening3 voices
Whether what is here said of the morning light was designed to represent, as in a figure, the light of the gospel of Christ, and to give a type of it, I will not say; but I am sure it may serve to put us in mind of the encomiums given to the gospel just at the rising of its morning-star by Zecharias in his Benedictus ( Luke i.
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — unbalanced-parens
The constant and regular succession of day and night was no contrivance of ours; it is the glory of God that it shows, and his handy work, not ours, Ps. xix. It is quite out of our power to alter this course: " Hast thou countermanded the morning since thy days?
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — odd-straight-quotes
And from the wicked their light is withholden,....
2 more voices on this verse
The Nineteenth Century2 voices
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
Passing from creation to phenomena in the existing inanimate world. Hast thou--as God daily does. commanded the morning--to rise. since thy days--since thou hast come into being. his place--It varies in its place of rising from day to day, and yet it has its place each day according to fixed laws.
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
proposed
their light--by which they work; namely, darkness, which is their day (Job 24:17), is extinguished by daylight. high--Rather, "The arm uplifted" for murder or other crime is broken; it falls down suddenly, powerless, through their fear of light.
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — starts-lowercase
The words behind it
6 Hebrew wordsEvery Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Hebrew | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| וְיִמָּנַ֣ע | veyimana' | so it may be withheld | H4513 → | 29 times |
| מֵרְשָׁעִ֣ים | mereshaim | from wicked [people] | H7563 → | 263 times |
| אוֹרָ֑ם | ʾoram | light their | H216 → | 121 times |
| וּזְר֥וֹעַ | uzeroa' | and an arm | H2220 → | 91 times |
| רָ֝מָ֗ה | ramah | uplifted | H7311 → | 190 times |
| תִּשָּׁבֵֽר׃ | tishaver | it is broken | H7665 → | 147 times |
וְיִמָּנַ֣עso it may be withheld
veyimana'H4513 →29 times
מֵרְשָׁעִ֣יםfrom wicked [people]
mereshaimH7563 →263 times
אוֹרָ֑םlight their
ʾoramH216 →121 times
וּזְר֥וֹעַand an arm
uzeroa'H2220 →91 times
רָ֝מָ֗הuplifted
ramahH7311 →190 times
תִּשָּׁבֵֽר׃it is broken
tishaverH7665 →147 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Psalms 37:17For the arms of the wicked will be broken, but the LORD upholds the righteous.
it leads to
- Isaiah 41:10
Do not fear, for I am with you; do not be afraid, for I am your God. I will strengthen you; I will surely help you; I will uphold you with My right hand…
- Psalms 63:8
My soul clings to You; Your right hand upholds me.
- Psalms 145:14
The LORD upholds all who fall and lifts up all who are bowed down.
- Isaiah 42:1
“Here is My Servant, whom I uphold, My Chosen One, in whom My soul delights. I will put My Spirit on Him, and He will bring justice to the nations.
- Psalms 37:24
Though he falls, he will not be overwhelmed, for the LORD is holding his hand.
- Isaiah 41:10
Through
Proverbs 4:19But the way of the wicked is like the darkest gloom; they do not know what makes them stumble.
it leads to
- John 12:35
Then Jesus told them, “For a little while longer, the Light will be among you. Walk while you have the Light, so that darkness will not overtake you. The one who walks in the…
- John 12:35
Through
Job 18:5Indeed, the lamp of the wicked is extinguished; the flame of his fire does not glow.
it leads to
- Proverbs 13:9
The light of the righteous shines brightly, but the lamp of the wicked is extinguished.
- Proverbs 13:9
Through
Psalms 10:15Break the arm of the wicked and evildoer; call him to account for his wickedness until none is left to be found.
it leads to
- Psalms 37:17
For the arms of the wicked will be broken, but the LORD upholds the righteous.
- Psalms 37:17
Where this verse is studied
On this page
Studies10
About Job
This page draws on Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Franz Delitzsch, Biblical Commentary on the Book of Job; Gregory the Dialogist, Morals on the Book of Job, Book XXIX; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763); Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible and Thomas Aquinas, Commentary on Job.